Hidden Currents (Lagos Romance Series) - By Somi Ekhasomhi Page 0,2

He greeted, his deep voice was warm and friendly. He left Fadeke’s desk to help Ada with the door, and she quickly stepped inside the office, not too pleased with the thought of him holding the door open for her like some olden days suitor.

“Hello Eddie.” She gave him a small polite smile, and quickly looked away from his face, resisting the urge to gawk at how handsomely his cheeks dimpled. “Hello Fadeke.” The smile she gave Fadeke was friendlier and lasted far longer. She walked past the both of them to her own desk, farther inside the open office, carefully laying down her backpack and starting her computer.

They both watched her in silence, their conversation on hold. Surely, Ada thought, they didn’t expect her to join in whatever they had been discussing.

“How’ve you been?” Eddie asked finally. “It’s been a while.”

Internally Ada rolled her eyes. This was so like Eddie, instead of accepting that she had just ignored him and that her behavior had even been on the verge of rudeness, he would still try to talk to her, he would still try to be nice. That was just him, too well mannered, and too polite. Maybe it wasn’t such a dreadful thing to be like that, Ada thought, but it was just too much for her in particular.

She exhaled, realizing that she had been holding her breath, waiting for him to either talk to her or leave her alone. She looked up at him and smiled halfheartedly, hoping that the look on her face would tell him that she was too busy to talk to him. “Work has been fine, thank you Eddie.” She turned to Fadeke, who was gawking at Eddie as if she had never seen a man before. “Fadeke, does Sophie know that Eddie is here?”

“I... yes... I…um...” Fadeke started to stutter.

“She knows.” Eddie interrupted smoothly. “She’s been on a long phone call for a while, probably with Michael.” He smiled, his eyes teasing. Sophie had recently gotten married to Michael Ade-Cole, the man she had been in love with for as long as Ada had known her.

Ada shrugged and turned her attention back to her computer, hoping that he would go back to flirting with Fadeke and not talk to her until Sophie finished with her phone call.

As if Sophie had somehow heard her thoughts, the door to her office opened just then, and she appeared, her face all aglow, showing that she had indeed been talking with her husband. Ada smiled. It was a testament to the strength of Sophie and Eddie’s friendship that she could keep him waiting while she took a personal call, despite the fact that he owned a large stake in her business. Eddie would never mind though, Ada thought, sometimes he and Sophie seemed more like brother and sister, than business partners and friends. Then again, Eddie had introduced Sophie and Michael all those years ago.

“What’s up?” Sophie said, addressing all of them at the same time. Dressed in one of those stylish chiffon blouses, a pencil skirt and fashionable high heels, she looked totally on point, Ada thought. She looked down at her own jeans and T-Shirt and sighed. Oh well, she thought, not everybody had to wear chiffon.

“Young man!” Sophie exclaimed playfully, wagging a finger at Eddie. “Stop flirting with Fadeke I beg you! Before you turn her head upside down, I cannot explain anything to her mother!”

“Hey.” Eddie protested as Fadeke dissolved into a pool of embarrassed giggles. “I’m only having an innocent conversation with her.”

“Ada, when did you get back?” Sophie continued, looking over at Ada who was quietly working at her computer. “You weren’t here when I came out a moment ago.” She paused, leaving Ada wondering if she actually wanted an answer, then she went right on talking to Eddie. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.” She told him, a mischievous look on her face. “You can come inside now.” She turned back to Ada. “You too, Ada”

Ada watched with a small frown as they both disappeared into Sophie’s office, she wondered how long she could stall, now that she was rid of Eddie she wasn’t terribly eager to be back in his company, especially in Sophie’s tiny office.

Fadeke was still staring after Eddie with an enraptured expression. “Close your mouth before you eat a mosquito.” Ada said to her.

Fadeke gave her a self-conscious smile, and then because she couldn’t help it, as all girls with crushes love to gush about the